ICC Champions Trophy

According to the official website of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will commence on February 19, 2025, and end on March 9, 2025. The tournament is scheduled to be played after 8 years. According to the official website of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), defending champions Pakistan will host an ICC tournament after 28 years. They will also host the ICC Champions Trophy for the first time. However, all matches involving India, including a possible semi-final and final, will be played in Dubai based on ICC’s official website.

ICC Champions Trophy History

According to ICC’s official website, the ICC Champions Trophy was initially held as the ICC Knockout in 1998 and 2000. South Africa won the inaugural edition named officially as the Wills International Cup 1998. New Zealand clinched the ICC Knockout 2000. The tournament was renamed the ICC Champions Trophy in 2002 and was shared by Sri Lanka and India. The West Indies won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2004. It was hosted every two years until the ICC Champions Trophy in 2009. After that, a four-year cycle was announced and India won the ICC Champions Trophy 2013. As of January 2025, Australia has won the title the most times (2006 and 2009) in the eight editions of the Champions Trophy. Pakistan is the defending champions after they won their maiden title in 2017.

*Updated January 2025

ICC Champions Trophy Qualification

According to the official website of the ICC, the ICC Champions Trophy comprises teams that feature in the ICC’s top-eight ODI team rankings. The eight teams have been divided into two groups, Group A and Group B. The top two teams from each group will participate in the knockout stage.

As per ICC’s official website, Pakistan secured automatic qualification as hosts. The rest of the seven teams, including Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, and South Africa, qualified based on their ICC ODI team rankings.

ICC Champions Trophy Schedule

With all matches scheduled as day-night ODIs, the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy will begin on February 19, 2025.

According to ICC’s official website, hosts Pakistan and New Zealand will face each other in the opening match of the tournament in Karachi. The league stage will be played from February 19, 2025, to March 2, 2025. The semi-finals will take place on March 4, 2025, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and March 5, 2025, in Lahore, respectively. The final will be played on March 9, 2025, in Lahore or Dubai (subject to India’s qualification).

Venues

According to ICC’s official website, four venues have been confirmed for hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The tournament will primarily be hosted in Pakistan while India’s matches will be hosted in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The three venues in Pakistan include the National Stadium in Karachi, Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.

The Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai will host the matches involving India. The first semi-final will be hosted at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and the second semi-final will be held at the Gaddafi Stadium.

As of January 2025, the venue of the final is yet to be confirmed.

ICC Champions Trophy Teams

According to ICC’s official website, eight teams will feature in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Hosts Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, and New Zealand, comprise Group A. Group B features Afghanistan, Australia, England, and South Africa.